


Time Bomb

by Kameiko



Category: Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Insecurity, Kissing, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-17
Updated: 2020-06-17
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:07:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24765910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kameiko/pseuds/Kameiko
Summary: Miller is angry. Adam is here to defuse.Miller is feeling guilty. Adam is here to make it go away.Miller is feeling very dry. Adam is here to water down the spark.Miller is...Adam is....There just is.
Relationships: Adam Jensen/Jim Miller
Comments: 13
Kudos: 11
Collections: Rare Pairs Exchange 2020





	Time Bomb

**Author's Note:**

  * For [linndechir](https://archiveofourown.org/users/linndechir/gifts).



Been a week now, hasn’t it? Since the horrible London incident. Everything is back to the normal routine of waking up, having coffee, snoop around TF29 for any secretive information to give to the other agents, side chores that require a daily hero, and follow-up by the end of the shift with a talk to the director of the organization to make sure he’s ok. Things have been tight lately with him, Manderley and outsiders pulling the strings on reports and what to do now. He’s only been out of the hospital for two days, and his doctor kept insisting he stay home to rest. Stubborn fool didn’t want to listen. He’s leaning against the back of his desk, frustrated and sweating up bricks. He grunts in pain, holding his side where one of his bruises is starting to fade.

“Damn, I wish I didn’t bump into that hotdog vendor earlier. Metal hurts like a bitch!” Miller opens his desk drawer and pulls out a half-drunk bottle of his favorite whiskey. He pops open the cap and goes to drown in it. Nearly getting the tip to his lips when a certain augmented pain in the ass snatches it out of his hands. Looking up, he glares at the other, defiling his order again to stay out of his office, and cloaking just to get passed hearing the sensor above him to let him know that he has a visitor. He specifically told the other to go and send his reports to MacReady, his other boss he tends to also not follow orders from. Rubbing his temple he closes the drawer again, wishing to have something to perch his thirst on for this backlash nonsense. His temper seems to want to flair up more whenever this man is around. Why? He doesn’t know. The other risked his life for him, so why does he feel angry?

Said man drinks the rest of the bottle, to prevent any temptation from the peanut gallery. Strong stuff there. His filter took a few extra seconds than it normally would to flush out and remaining content in his system. He sets the empty bottle aside to be recycled later, and plops down in the seat in front of Miller’s desk, ignoring the uninvited look the other is glaring at him for. Shrugging his shoulders he places his hands on his cross-legged lap and looks at him with concern, his eyebrows are showing it with the way the u’s are shaping. He’s worried. All the staff are. In fact, if the persistent prodding from Aria and Mac to check up on the older man didn’t stop, he wouldn’t be here at all. Why? Because he respects the man’s right to having a clear head, wanting to figure out his own personal dilemma’s, and contemplate what he’s been through. This is way of showing he cares without getting too close and attached at his hip. Still, he couldn’t help but ask the million-dollar question, because he emotionally does care, “How are you feeling today, Jim?”

He uses his first name. No, the way the other uses his first name. The way, Adam Jensen, uses his first name in a soft voice he’s only heard from him back in the catering area. The way he retracted his shades to reflect those yellow irises of concern. The fuse angers him again. He bangs his fists on the table. “Stop that! You don’t get to say my name like that after waltzing in here after I specifically told you to go write reports! Why don’t you do what I say? Why don’t you ever listen to me? Why did you have to defy everything I commanded you to do that day just to become some selfless prick!”

Adam tenses up at the sudden onslaught of consistent banging on the desk. He quickly gets up and places his alloyed fingers on top of Miller’s. He didn’t want the other’s hands to bruise as he didn’t need a consistent growing collection. “You need to stop this right now! I understand there’s unresolved trust issues between us, Jim, but I didn’t want you to die! No one on the team died that day, and I’ll be damned to Hell if I let you sit there and suffer a painful death! Yes, I disobeyed orders, but I did it for you! I had the antidote! I-“ Adam’s hands are now on the table. Miller apparently removed them to use them as leverage to stand up and get in front of Adam’s face. Not shy of any height differences here or trouble.

“That’s another thing! You conveniently had the antidote on you, Jensen! That’s a little too on the nose for my liking!” Miller closes his eyes and looks down. He didn’t want to think about this any longer. He wants to be grateful, but the pent-up anger for feeling weak and fragile for not being a better leader to his team, and for not trusting Adam sooner is still too much. He just wants to cry and forget about all that’s crashing down around him. Just run away somewhere and leave the world behind him.

People are going to start asking questions. Questions, Adam’s not ready to answer, and the vault escapade situation makes him realize that Versalife knew who exactly raided it that day. Gulping the frog out of his throat he leans further into Miller, using his weight to balance against the desk, he takes the other’s face into his hands. He places his forehead against him, not caring that he’s also going to have a face full of sweat. Wonders if Miller will notice his eyes again, and stare into them. The way he did back in London, where the calmness could be cut with a sharp knife. That’s when there were sparks of understanding and maybe unrequited feelings came into play. Maybe. Adam swallows the lump again. He’s worried for Miller. He’s scared himself that he’s going to lose him, that there will not be a next time. There will be no opportunity for them to bond like this again. “I want to kiss you.”

Miller’s eyes perk open and loosens himself from Jensen’s hold. He didn’t hear him right, did he? He takes a handkerchief out of his pocket and dabs at his forehead. The brain part of him feels a bit broken with the way his hearing doesn’t want to register things correctly. He sits back in his chair and places his hands on his knees, wanting to just turn around and scoot away from Jensen. He hears the statement again. His shoulders lean back along with his neck. He looks stunned, and the other doesn’t falter. His eyes show no jokes or pranks. He’s being genuinely serious. What about all this anger and tension? He has questions that needs answers too. He needs a distraction! He needs-there’s no more questions. Adam came across the desk and kissed him. Nearly knocking his laptop to the ground trying to gain some bearing of ground here.

No one pulls away. They stay there lip-locked, and their minds are working in overdrive with how great this feels. The tension of every negative thought immediately dies out. They’ve been replaced with caring, love, passion, and gentleness. Miller shows this with extending his hand to Adam’s face and cups it gently, giving him the sign that he’s ok. He’s ok with this, and with what’s going to happen from here. When they do pull away, they’re both teary eyed and laughing with joy, a surprise that shocks both of them. Yes, they do have a lot to talk about, and no one knows where things will go from here; but they can only take it one day at a time. What can they do to start off on the right foot today? Start by always fully trusting each other and go out for drinks for a first date tonight. Adam agrees.


End file.
